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Welcome to Close Call Sports. CCS objectively tracks and analyzes close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. Developed from The Left Field Corner: MLB Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (UEFL), whose purpose is to objectively track and analyze umpire ejections, video instant replay reviews and their corresponding calls, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game.

The 30-second process seems simple enough: Field Timing Coordinators start 30-second clocks after each close play that might go to review. If the Manager challenges (or requests a Crew Chief Review) in that time, the play goes to Replay. If not, it doesn't.

Complicating matters, however, the clocks default to a blank setting after reaching zero seconds on the countdown, not all Field Timing Coordinators are consistent about starting the clocks after every close play (for instance, a seemingly benign no-call that might turn into a boundary issue that isn't apparent in real-time), and some situations (e.g., end of innings, pitching changes) call for the clocks to be set to times greater than 30-seconds in length.

Pre-season table of Replay Review timelines and limits.

To recap, there are several time limits pertaining to Replay Review (see attached table). The big change for 2017 concerned the introduction of a 30-second time limit for all manager review requests, regardless of game situation, while emphasizing enforcement pertaining to the various time limits already in existence for End of Inning (10 seconds to notify umpires of intent-to-consider a review, and 30 seconds to actually file the challenge or request) and End of Game (immediately) scenarios.

The following examples portray how untimely replay requests were addressed by various crews. Most recently, on Wednesday (June 7), Tom Hallion's crew refused to honor Joe Girardi's request for a review on a home run/out/fan interference play because the crew said Girardi failed to satisfy the Replay Review regulations pertaining to time limits, namely the 10-second hold time limit that follows a third out play.

End-of-Inning 10+ Second Notification Denied Case Study: Crew Hallion: With two out in the 6th inning of the Reds Sox-Yankees game, Yankees batter Chris Carter flied out to Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts, who leapt at the wall and came down with the baseball in his glove. Replays indicate the batted ball first contacted a fan reaching over the wall before settling into Betts' glove, inspiring Girardi to request the umpires invoke a Crew Chief Review to consider the boundary fan interference question.

Hallion denies Girardi's untimely request.

Tom Hallion's crew ruled that Girardi failed to inform any of the umpires of his intent to review the play within 10 seconds of the inning's third out pursuant to Replay Review Regulation II.D.3, and thus denied Girardi's request.

Hallion's crew had the right idea, but the language of II.D.3 is slightly different for boundary calls, which are exempted from the Manager's Challenge and must be initiated by the Crew Chief: "In the case of a play that results in a third-out call and is subject to review at the discretion of the Crew Chief, the Crew Chief must either immediately initiate a Replay Review or signal for an Umpire conference to discuss the play while holding the defensive players on the field."

Because Hallion did not immediately initiate a Replay Review or umpire conference while holding the defensive players on the field (primarily because nobody knew of the potential of fan interference until well after the teams had already changed sides), Hallion's crew properly denied Girardi's request for an untimely Crew Chief review.

End-of-Inning 10+ Second Notification Allowed Case Study: Crew Layne: On May 26, Jerry Layne's crew entertained a Nationals challenge after the third out of an inning in which Manager Dusty Baker failed to inform the umpires of his intent to internally review the play within the 10 seconds as prescribed by rule. Like Hallion/Girardi, the closeness of the play—a neighborhood play out call at second base—was not readily apparent and, thus, evaded immediate detection by Washington's coaching staff. Opposing Manager Andy Green, not happy by the untimely turn of events, was seen silently fuming on camera during the ensuing Replay Review. Video: Nats get umpires to review play after the inning break has commenced.

30+ Second Denied Case Study: Crew Culbreth: On May 31, Culbreth denied Mets Manager Terry Collins an attempted challenge filed after the 30-second time limit had expired (37 seconds to be exact), but we wanted to wait for something a little more juicy to analyze.

Culbreth ejected Ausmus for arguing a denial.

On June 3, Culbreth in his role as Crew Chief ejected Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus after the Detroit skipper objected to the Cubby Crew's policy (or, more accurately, the "MLB policy") of requiring a manager to file his challenge within 30 seconds of the end of the play-to-be-reviewed. Culbreth ejected Ausmus after plate umpire Manny Gonzalez, as umpire-in-chief, ruled that Ausmus waited too long to file a challenge concerning a play at first base. Timed replays indicated that Ausmus failed to request a challenge of the play until 39 seconds had elapsed since the conclusion of the play.

End-of-Game Denied Case Study: Crew Miller: Last season—prior to the 30-second rule—Bill Miller's crew refused to honor Reds Manager Bryan Price's attempted Manager's Challenge of a game-ending play. Similar to the Hallion/Girardi play, neither Miller nor Price knew the boundary-related play contained a potential dead ball situation until well after the play had concluded and the time limit to notify and/or file had expired. Price actually followed the umpires toward their room in an attempt to bring them back onto the field to review the play, but Miller properly denied Price's request for an untimely Manager's Challenge.

With one out in the top of the 8th inning of the Nationals-Dodgers game, Bryce Harper reached on a fielder's choice out, as the Dodgers tagged out baserunner R3 Trea Turner. Although Baker timely notified the umpires of his intent to internally review the play (although, because it wasn't a third out, Baker didn't need to adhere to the 10-second notification time limit), he failed to actually file his Manager's Challenge until 41 seconds after the play had ended, and only as Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen had already began jogging in from the home bullpen.